U.S. patent application number 11/203656 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-09 for highly absorbent/quick drying bib.
Invention is credited to Deborah V. Rothschild.
Application Number | 20060026729 11/203656 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35755904 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060026729 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rothschild; Deborah V. |
February 9, 2006 |
Highly absorbent/quick drying bib
Abstract
A reversible, multi-purpose bib exhibits a polyester layer on
one side for use in absorbing drool, a vinyl layer on an opposing
side for use when feeding solid food, and a removable overlying
cotton or cotton polyester blend layer atop the vinyl layer for use
when formula feeding.
Inventors: |
Rothschild; Deborah V.;
(Morganville, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Charles I. Brodsky
2 Bucks Lane
Marlboro
NJ
07746
US
|
Family ID: |
35755904 |
Appl. No.: |
11/203656 |
Filed: |
August 8, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60599158 |
Aug 6, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/49.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 13/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/049.1 |
International
Class: |
A41B 13/00 20060101
A41B013/00 |
Claims
1. A highly absorbent/quick drying bib comprising: a top layer of
polyester, a bottom layer of vinyl and an intermediate layer of one
of cotton and polyester cotton adhesively laminated at a top
surface thereof to said top layer of polyester and at a bottom
surface thereof to said bottom layer of vinyl; first means joining
together overlapping edge surfaces of said layers when lain atop
one another in bib configuration with a neck encompassing section
extending from a body section; and second means on one of said top
layer of polyester and said bottom layer of vinyl for selectively
closing and opening said neck encompassing section for the wearing
and removal of said bib.
2. The highly absorbent/quick drying bib of claim 1 wherein said
first means sews together said edge surfaces of said top, bottom
and intermediate layers.
3. The highly absorbent/quick drying bib of claim 1 wherein said
second means includes a hook-and-loop adhesive coupling between
opposing portions of said neck encompassing section.
4. The highly absorbent/quick drying bib of claim 1, also including
an auxiliary layer of one of a 100% cotton or cotton polyester
blend removably secured to said bottom layer of vinyl along a
surface remote from said intermediate layer.
5. The highly absorbent/quick drying bib of claim 4 wherein said
auxiliary layer is removably secured to said bottom layer of vinyl
by a hook-and-loop adhesive coupling.
6. The highly absorbent/quick drying bib of claim 5 wherein said
auxiliary layer is in the shape of an animal head.
7. The sales package of a highly absorbent/quick drying bib
comprising: a top layer of polyester, a bottom layer of vinyl and
an intermediate layer of one of cotton and polyester cotton
adhesively laminated at a top surface thereof to said top layer and
at a bottom surface thereof to said bottom layer; first means
joining together overlapping edge surfaces of said layers when lain
atop one another in bib configuration with a neck encompassing
section extending from a body section; second means on one of said
top and bottom layers for selectively closing and opening said neck
encompassing section for the wearing and removal of said bib; a
plurality of interchangeable auxiliary layers of a 100% cotton or
cotton polyester blend, each removably securable in turn to said
bottom layer of vinyl along a surface remote from said intermediate
layer; and with said auxiliary layers being each removably
securable to said bottom layer by a hook-and-loop adhesive
coupling.
8. The sales package of a highly absorbent/quick drying bib of
claim 7 wherein said auxiliary layers are each in the shape of an
animal head.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] A provisional application describing this invention was
filed Aug. 6, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 60/599,158.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Research and development of this invention and Application
have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under
any Federal program.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX NOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] This invention relates to the field of bib construction, in
general, and to a fast drying bib especially useful for teething
and feeding infants and toddlers.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] As is understood, bibs are sometimes worn by feeding adults
in a nursing home setting, and are almost always worn by feeding
infants and toddlers. With infants and toddlers, it is not unusual
to have to change the bibs up to 10-15 times a day--not only
because of the food which drips upon the bib, but because teething
infants and toddlers, tend to drool almost all the time. As will be
appreciated, such regular changing of bibs is necessary in order to
keep the infant's or toddler's underclothes dry and to keep the
infant or toddler from becoming unduly wet. This is particularly
important in cold weather locations. Because infants and toddlers
tend to teethe for many months, beyond one-year of age, the
situation becomes quite frustrating for a mother to continue to
have to wash the infant's or toddler's clothes and body
over-and-over again because of the limited protection conventional
bibs offer.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a fast drying
bib for teething and feeding infants and toddlers.
[0008] It is an object of the present invention, also, to provide
such a bib which can be kept on all day without the child
developing a rash from sitting or lying in moisture.
[0009] It is a further object of the invention to provide such a
bib which can be sized to fit the child from birth through the
toddler years.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention encompasses a bib design which both
absorbs moisture and dries very fast. Such characteristics, first
of all, minimize any tendency for drool to flow right off the bib,
onto clothing. By quickly drying, the bib can be reused throughout
the day, enabling it to be simply washed at night in the kitchen,
before being used again. Absorption of any drool deposited on the
surface of the bib thus follows, to the extent that the
construction set out could also be employed for placemats, floor
mats and other instances where high absorption and quick drying is
advantageous--although the present invention is particularly
beneficial, more easily understood and more universally needed when
utilized in bib design.
[0011] As will be seen from the following description, the highly
absorbent/quick drying bib of the invention in its simplest form
includes a top layer of polyester, a bottom layer of vinyl and an
intermediate layer of one of cotton and polyester cotton adhesively
laminated at a top surface thereof to the top layer of polyester
and at a bottom surface thereof to the bottom layer. First means
are included to join together overlapping edge surfaces of the
layers when lain atop one another in bib configuration with the
neck encompassing section extending from a body section, and second
means are included on one of the top and bottom layers for
selectively closing and opening the neck section for the wearing
and removal of the bib. As will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art, with the bib worn with its top layer of polyester facing
out, drool can be absorbed, but with quick drying without any
penetration of the clothing being worn. With the bib being worn
with the bottom layer of vinyl facing out, formula and/or solid
foods run down the surface of the layer, without absorption.
[0012] In a second embodiment of the invention, to be described, an
auxiliary layer of a 100% cotton or cotton polyester blend is
removably secured to the bottom layer of vinyl for absorbing
formula when the vinyl layer is otherwise worn facing out--with the
cotton or cotton polyester blend layer then being removed when it
is time for solid feeding.
[0013] As will be appreciated, a multi-purpose bib results, from
the reversible nature of the bib construction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] These and other features of the present invention will be
more clearly understood from a consideration of the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0015] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two separate modes of manufacturing
compositions for the bib embodying the teachings of the
invention;
[0016] FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and rear views of the basic
construction of the bib, with the top layer of polyester and the
bottom layer of vinyl, respectively;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a modified view of the vinyl side of the bib of
FIG. 4, illustrating the additional auxiliary layer of a cotton or
cotton polyester blend; and
[0018] FIGS. 6-8 depict illustrations of animal head shapes which
may be utilized as the cotton or cotton polyester blend layer of
FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] In the FIG. 1 embodiment, a trilaminate of materials are
employed, while in the embodiment of FIG. 2, a quad-laminate is
utilized. In each, a bottom layer (to be worn against the clothing
of the body) is shown at 10, being composed of a primarily vinyl
type material, such as one of polyvinylchloride composition 12 with
a non-woven polyester backing 14. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,
adhesively laminated to the bottom layer 10, at the backing 14, is
an intermediate layer 16 of 100% cotton or polyester cotton. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2, on the other hand, a further layer 18 is
interspersed between the bottom layer 10 and the layer 16--composed
like the bottom layer 10 of polyvinylchloride and non-woven
polyester, with a non-woven polyester backing 20 of the layer 18
being joined with the backing 14 of the layer 10, and with the
layer 18 being adhesively laminated to the cotton or polyester
cotton layer 16. In each of the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiments, a
further layer 24 of 100% polyester is adhesively laminated to the
layer 16. As will be understood, the 100% polyester layer 24 faces
outwardly, away from the clothing and skin.
[0020] In these respects, the top polyester layer 24 is both highly
absorbent and fast drying. Any moisture that might pass through the
layer 24, however, is then absorbed by the cotton or polyester
cotton layer 16, which also gives body and strength to the bib
fabric. The bottom layer 10 absorbs any moisture that might pass
through the layer 16--while the intermediate layer 18 when employed
further ensures that the wetness does not pass through to the
clothing and skin. At the same time, such second vinyl-polyester
layer 18 gives added strength to the structure--and a nicer,
smoother join follows by aligning the two non-woven polyester
backings 14, 20 adjacent one another. When fabricating the bib of
such construction, any appropriate trim can be employed, such as a
polyester-cotton mix, or just a cotton trim alone, being sewn on.
While a Velcro adhesive-and-loop join can be utilized in hanging
the bib around the infant's (or adjust's) neck, to minimize any
irritation the might result, a snap or button closure may be used
instead.
[0021] Any type of adhesive lamination may be employed in forming
the trilaminate or quad-laminate constructions, and any manner of
carrying out the laminating steps could be employed. Whether the
bottom layer 10 is first laminated to the layer 16 before the layer
16 is laminated to the layer 24 in the FIG. 1 embodiment, or vice
versa, or whether it is first laminated to the intermediate layer
18 before that layer 18 is laminated to the layer 16 in the
embodiment of FIG. 2, for example, is irrelevant to the end result
of the present construction's having a highly absorbent, quick
drying material useful as a bib for adults or, particularly,
teething infants.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates the laminate construction of the
invention formed as a bib 110. Reference numeral 112 represents the
neck encompassing section of the bib, while reference numeral 114
represents the body section of the bib. First means 116 joins
together the overlapping edge surfaces of the layers when lain atop
one another, as by sewing. Understanding that the body section 114
here displays the top layer of polyester 24, second means,
preferably in the form of a hook-and-loop Velcro adhesive couple
between opposing portions of the neck encompassing section 112 to
fit the neck opening to size. One component of the hook-and-loop
adhesive coupling is shown at 118 in FIG. 3, whereas the second
component of the adhesive coupling is shown at 120 in FIG. 4. In
FIG. 4, moveover, it will be appreciated that the body section 114
is that of the layer of vinyl 10.
[0023] As will be understood, in the bib construction of FIGS. 3
and 4, infant drool would be absorbed by the top layer of polyester
24. As the child progresses to the toddler stage, and is fed
formula, the bib 110 is worn with the vinyl layer 10 of FIG. 4
facing outwardly, and none of the formula that runs down is
absorbed. In the configuration of FIG. 5, on the other hand, an
auxiliary layer of 100% cotton or cotton polyester blend 122 is
removably secured to the vinyl layer 10, through a like
hook-and-loop Velcro adhesive coupling at its underside to absorb
such formula run-off. As the child progresses to solid food, the
cotton or cotton polyester blend layer 122 can be peeled off to
fully expose the underlying vinyl layer 10, and can instead be used
to wipe the child's face. While FIG. 5 illustrates only the top
portion of the body section 114 being covered, leaving a "catch
pocket" 130, the cotton or cotton polyester blend layer 122 could
alternatively overlie the entire vinyl layer 10. After feeding
solid food, the vinyl portion can again be easily wiped clean.
[0024] While FIG. 5 illustrates the cotton or cotton polyester
blend layer 122 as being in the configuration of an animal's head,
any desired shape could be used instead. Animal head shapes as in
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 have been accepted as being recognizable by a
growing child, and each with a Velcro coupling to the vinyl layer
10 presents an interchangeable auxiliary coupling so that a dry bib
is always available at a mother's disposal.
[0025] From a standpoint of marketing the bib of the invention, a
package has been determined to be attractive for sales including
the bib along with a plurality of these interchangeable auxiliary
layers of cotton or cotton polyester blend in recognizable shapes.
An inclusion of three such shapes as in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 has been
found to be highly acceptable. As will be understood, with the
cotton or cotton polyester blend inclusion, one bib a day can be
seen to be all that is required to keep the moisture away from the
child, from birth through the toddler years. By having the two
component Velcro adhesive coupling design 118, 120, the bib can be
sized to fit from birth onward. Available under the Trademark
"Dribble Bibble", the bib of the invention will be seen to have a
multi-purpose use, while keeping the underlying clothing dry.
[0026] While there have been described what are considered to be
preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be
made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For
at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims
appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *